Uconn

Huskies 1 win from Final Four UConn faces Kentucky in regional final By Roger Cleaveland Republican-American

Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma peers between guard Kelly Faris, left, and forward Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, right, while joking with players during a news conference before practice for a regional championship game of the women's NCAA college basketball tournament in Bridgeport, Conn., Sunday March 31, 2013. Connecticut will play Kentucky Monday. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BRIDGEPORT — The college basketball season can be such a grind, especially when you're as good as the UConn women and simply overwhelm most opponents. Factor in a limited roster full of underclassmen in key roles, as well as a rash of injuries, and it can be very difficult to maintain focus, energy and excitement.

"These five months seemed like five years for me," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "I don't think anything can match what we've had to go through this year. Every week it's been something. And in spite of all that, we've put ourselves in this situation where we play (tonight), and if we win we get a chance to go the Final Four."

"This is the last little section of our season and you have to bring everything you have," senior Kelly Faris said. "I think right now everybody is trying to do that. Have we seen our best basketball yet? No. We have seen bits and pieces of it. If we continue to put those pieces together, it could be real good."

The Huskies haven't had much of an opportunity to see exactly how good they could be this season, because injuries, inconsistencies and the resulting self doubt crept into the subconscious of many players and seemingly caused a constant disruption that slowed the overall development.

The problems began the second day of practice when Bria Hartley's ankle injury forced her out for six weeks. She struggled much of the season with inconsistencies as a result, and the rest of the team dealt with other issues.

Brianna Banks was lost for the season with a knee injury. Morgan Tuck missed four games due to a bone bruise in her right knee and struggled as a result until the final month of the season. Kiah Stokes missed six games due to a lower right leg stress reaction and just last week had an MRI on her back. Breanna Stewart missed three games due to a sprained ankle and calf soreness and spent half the season struggling with tentativeness. Caroline Doty's lingering knee issues from three ACL surgeries limited her effectiveness while Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (concussion) and Stefanie Dolson (illness) each missed a game.

"Those are the kinds of situations that build character," Hartley said. "In the end, when you look at everything you go through, if you reach your goal, we will sit back and be proud of what we have accomplished."

The latest adversity is that Dolson is plagued with a stress fracture in her right ankle and a left foot injury.

Kelly Faris and Moriah Jefferson are the only members of the Huskies that have played in all 36 games this season, and Auriemma said the team has had its full team available for only 10 days.

"Some years it's been easy," Auriemma said. "It's like riding a bike. You get on and you just go. This year's been really, really, really hard, and it's taken a toll on our players and coaching staff. It's just been a real grind. And in spite of all that we're right where we were last year and we have an opportunity to something that we set as our goal five months ago — to go to the Final Four."

Anchored by the talent and consistency of Mosqueda-Lewis and Dolson along with the tenacity and leadership of Faris, the Huskies proved to be incredibly resilient. They never stopped working, and now everything seems to be coming together.

"It's one of those things that you just have to find it within you," Faris said. "If you're the right type of person you'll figure it out. And if you're competitive enough and you really want it that bad and feel you deserve it, you're going to do anything and everything to get it. Of course you think you're going to be playing in the last game."

UConn's four losses this season have come to the top two teams in the country, and the Huskies were very competitive in each. Now they have a chance to advance to their 14th Final Four, including an NCAA record sixth straight.

"The confidence level's different, just the closeness is different and it's working to our advantage right now," Mosqueda-Lewis said. "Everything that we've gone through we've learned from our mistakes, with losses, with injuries and all that kind of stuff. I think that it's brought us closer together, realizing that we need every single person on this team to really make whatever we want happen a reality."

Auriemma used to call the regional final the most difficult game to win. This year he feels like it should be the most fun game for the Huskies, because they don't have to worry about getting through five tedious, difficult months. The prize is right there in front of them.

"I think it just shows how tough we are and how tough our coaches have been pushing us through things," Dolson said. "I think a lot of teams can feel sorry for themselves or let injuries kind of define their season. We've done a great job overcoming everything."

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